A Seat In Heaven
by Grey Like Stormy Skies
Summary: “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Nearly...well, nearly six months...eighteen, if you’re counting the last time you spoke back. But that doesn’t matter, not really. It’s July 31st today, did you know? Happy twentieth, I wish you were here.” [oneshot]


_**A Seat In Heaven**_

"Hey you.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Nearly…well, nearly six months—eighteen, if you're counting the last time you spoke back. But that doesn't matter, not really. It's your birthday today, did you know? Happy twentieth; I wish you were here.

A lot's happened in these past few months—it's not that I've been intentionally neglecting you; it's just been so busy! Fred and Angelina got married, did you hear? The ceremony was beautiful, and George made a big show of accusing Fred of abandoning him for a woman—you know how those two are, nothing can go perfect if they have any say in it.

Neville got a job at Hogwarts—he's the new Herbology Master! I spoke with him last week, and told him I'd be coming to visit you today; he asked me to tell you thanks for everything, and that he knows without you, he'd never be where he is today. I told him I'd relay the message, but you know the truth? The truth is that none of us would be where we are today without you. You were here for such a short amount of time, but God, you had _such _an impact.

Remus is doing alright; much better than the last time I talked to you. He's stabilized himself now, thanks, in large part, to Tonks. But he's still being stubborn of course, so there are no wedding bells in _their_ future quite yet. Bill's baby is four months old now; you remember me telling you they were expecting, don't you? God, I never will forget Fluer's reaction to seeing all that red hair on the baby; she'd had her heart set on a blonde. The memory still gets Ginny laughing.

Yes, that's right, I said it. Ginny laughing. It seems like it's taken _forever_, but slowly she's becoming a shadow of herself again. I don't think any of us realized how much you meant to her till you were gone. Then again, I don't think _any_ of us realized how much you meant till you were gone. Even I wasn't prepared for how badly it hurt.

Not that it's your fault, you hear? You did perfectly, and not a soul on Earth could have done it better. That morning, when you looked into my eyes and told me the Great Battle was to come, I didn't have a doubt in my mind that you'd win. I just…I never even considered the fact that your life might be taken too. I knew there'd be causalities; I knew people would have to die, but _God_, did it have to be you?

You always hated it when people called you a hero; you'd always harp on and on about how it was never anything to do with _you_, just luck and timing. Well, I'm sorry, but this time there's no escaping the truth; you were a hero that day, and there's no denying it. You saved us all, Harry, and you're going to live on forever in our gratitude.

Oh, and there's one other thing, too. I'm sure you already knew this was coming, but…Ron's asked me to marry him. It happened months ago, actually…the wedding's tomorrow. I wish you could be there. Ron's asked George to be his Best Man, but no one has any illusions as to who the real Best Man should be. It won't be the same without you there.

"Ginny's agreed to be my Maid of Honor; I know it was difficult for her. I'm sure a large part of her doesn't even want to come to the wedding, and I can't say I blame her. She's got to resent me, y'know? Because here I am, about to marry the man of my dreams, and she's…well. She's still clinging to memories of the past, and of you, and did you know she still wears her engagement ring around her neck? It's on a small silver chain, and I'm not supposed to know about it, I only saw it when she was trying on dresses. She misses you something terrible, you know.

God, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be so depressing. I'm getting married tomorrow, these should be the happiest days of my life. I don't even need to say it though, do I? We both know the happiest days of my life have already come and gone. They came when two eleven year olds saved me from a troll in a girl's bathroom, and they went on February fifth, the day you died.

As I was walking over here, I was trying to imagine what you were doing today, on your birthday. And I decided you're probably up in Heaven, right this very second, sitting at a great big table with your parents, and Dumbledore, and of course Sirius. And I can see you so clearly, Harry, I can just see you sitting there, with a lovely birthday cake in front of you, and the smile on your face is so beautiful that it makes me want to cry, because no matter how hard we tried we could _never_ get you to be so happy and carefree.

So with that picture still in my mind, I'm going to get married tomorrow. I'm going to stand in front of a church filled with our family and friends, and I'm going to look around at all the people who have touched my life. And then I'm going to look in the far back corner, and do you know what I'm going to see? I'm going to see you, Harry, with that beautiful smile on your face. And I'm going to start crying—bawling, in all probability—and everyone will think it's because I'll be so happy that I'm finally married to Ron, but that won't be it. It will be because you'll be there, to see it.

I love you, Harry. You're the best friend I'll ever have; I know you are, there's no use trying to find anyone better than you. I hope you save some seats at that table of yours up in Heaven, for when it's our time—Me, Ginny, Ron—because as hard as it might've been for you to leave us, I'd reckon it's about a hundred times harder for us to be left behind.

We all love you and miss you down here, kay? Even though you already knew that, I just needed to say it again; more for my sake than yours, I think. And I'm not going to say goodbye, because I'm going to come back in two weeks; as soon as I get home from the Honeymoon, I promise. I'm not going to say goodbye, because you're always with me.

I'll be waiting for that seat in Heaven, Harry."

* * *

A/N: I'm sure you can all tell who was speaking, but if you have any questions at all, I'll answer them. I'd love to hear any and all thoughts/reactions to this, so please review and let me know what you're thinking! 


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